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3 times Aaron Boone could’ve been fired this season and 1 reason he shouldn’t be

By Marci Rubin

Aaron Boone, New York Yankees (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Aaron Boone, New York Yankees (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Apr 22, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) is taken out of the game by manager Aaron Boone (17) in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 22, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) is taken out of the game by manager Aaron Boone (17) in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Too much latitude for Gerrit Cole when things unraveled

An ace is understandably given more latitude than another pitcher. Boone trusts his ace, Gerrit Cole, as he should. Cole has been dominant so far this season. Cole entered the game on May 7 with a 1.35 ERA and a 5-0 record. But sometimes, your ace just doesn’t have it. Sometimes, things unravel and a game gets out of hand quickly, and the manager needs to stop the bleeding.

On May 7th, Cole had a 6-0 lead over the Rays in the fifth inning. He looked good through four before giving up two runs in the fifth. The Rays hit back-to-back doubles in the sixth, cutting the Yankees’ lead to 6-3. Cole was losing command, and the Rays were making hard contact. Boone stuck with his ace with the tying run at the plate rather than going to the pen, and it was a costly move. Cole gave up a game-tying 3-run home run.

Wandy Peralta and Michael King were rested, and one of them could have come into the game before it was too late. With the game tied, instead of turning to Peralta or King, Boone went to Jimmy Cordero. Boone mismanaged the bullpen, not choosing a high leverage guy in that spot. Cordero allowed the go-ahead run to score on a chopper by not looking the runner back.

Despite the Yankees’ effort to battle back, they lost 8-7 in the 10th inning, wasting a great day at the plate from Harrison Bader with three hits and two RBIs.

Lastly, let’s look at a reason why Boone shouldn’t be fired.

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